MADAWASKA, Maine – Madawaska is in the middle of a major project to renovate its midtown plaza, a widely visible area on Main Street which will contain multiple new developments.
Brent Bridges of Woodard & Curran on Wednesday updated officials about the work, which is expected to be fully completed in early 2028.
Revitalizing the plaza has been in the works for several years. A 30,000-square-foot Fish River Rural Health facility recently opened there, and Northern Maine Medical Center plans to start a medical mall in the plaza’s former Kmart building. Now, a proposed makerspace will transform the plaza into a vital community center.
The completed project will enhance the appearance and functionality of one of the town’s most important areas, town officials said in a press release.
“The Town of Madawaska appreciates the continued support of residents, businesses, funding partners, and community stakeholders as work progresses toward realizing this long-term vision for downtown revitalization,” the release stated.
The proposed makerspace building, a major piece of the project, will create a central spot where local entrepreneurs can set up shop without needing to buy a building.
The town acquired the abandoned Mid-Town Shopping Center property through a donation, and in 2021 announced it would donate 1.68 acres for the Fish River Rural Health project. The donation dovetailed with its 2017 Grand Plan Madawaska, a parth to revitalize a town that had seen considerable decline.
Local businessman Steve Pelletier bought the former Kmart store in the plaza in 2024, and the area has taken shape since then.
The first phase of work, which is expected to be finished later this year, includes the construction of a new public parking area, improved pedestrian walkways and new lighting, as well as a recreational trail connecting downtown areas.
The town has also discussed placing a community gym in this building, but no formal plans have been made yet.
Madawaska has received more than $4 million in funding for the plaza revitalization, including $2 million via Congressionally Directed Spending and another $2 million through a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant. The town last year held a special town meeting to borrow up to $750,000 through a bond to help fund these projects.
While the town is still seeking bids for portions of the plaza work, it is also seeking grant opportunities to close the funding gap and minimize the overall tax impact.
The trail and retaining wall are now in the plaza, Bridges said, adding that contractors will return on Friday to do final paving work on the right side of the area. Contractors will then move closer to the new Fish River Rural Health building as the work continues.
The first parking lot where the farmer’s market is located will not receive final pavement until the makerspace building is finished.
“With the makerspace, we want a place to lay down equipment and things like that, and we wouldn’t want to ruin the final pavement,” Bridges said.
After next week, crews will start work on the left side of the plaza, he said.
Bids came in a little high for the makerspace project, which is funded with a CDS grant, he said. He is now meeting with Devoe Construction, the lowest bidder, to discuss potential savings.
The contractor believes they can save a few hundred thousand dollars, Bridges said. Any proposed changes would need to be presented to and approved by the town in order to be made official.
“We won’t do anything that changes what you’ve seen already without your permission,” he said.
With the sewer project, he said the town is going to look at a long line that runs along the St. John River and determine if there are any issues such as cracking or leaking. Bridges said they are also putting together a design plan to fix any manholes in town that have cracks or leaks.
“We can take any problems, put it into this construction contract that we’ll have bid by local contractors who can go and fix all of these kinds of things,” he said.
